Birthday Trip To The Lodge - Day 10 Dec 5 MK, Skipper Canteen and Photopass Stitch!
Back to MK today and after a quick coffee and the last of the MVMCP cookies in our room we caught the boat to MK. We had a FP for Pirates but stopped off in Sleepy Hollow for a Mickey waffle with strawberries and cream which comes on a snack credit! Be rude not to have one wouldn't it? Following Pirates we headed to Fantasyland for 7DMT which I also had managed to score a FP for. After the previous day's Slinky Dog incident of heart racing I asked DH if sure he wanted to go but he said this one was no where near as exhilarating as Slinky so he'd be fine. Fortunately he was so we came off all good and ready for more. Headed off into Tomorrowland for Monsters Inc but saw that Carousel of Progress was running which had never been on our last 2 trips, as it's a classic Disney attraction, decided to ride. It's a big theatre that was pretty much just us about a dozen others spread about but it was an interesting ride. We liked seeing the same family through the decades and Grandma with her VR headset at the end bought it up to date. A Monster Inc and Peoplemover later we trekked across the hub to Adventureland as had an ADR for Skipper Canteen.
Had about 30 minutes to kill before it so we stopped at the merchandise cart opposite for a spot of pin trading and purchasing. It was being run by a lovely young CM and got chatting. There was a photopass CM there and saw that we were Stitch fans - Stitch purse, both wearing Stitch sweatshirts - asked if we could wait about 10 minutes. Explained about our ADR so he took us over there, spoke to them then disappeared. About 15 minutes later he came back with a large Stitch plush wearing a photopass vest and name badge " Stitch - Junior Photopass Photographer " . We were surprised to say the least. The CM took a lot of photos of us with him including one of Stitch on the wall with ears over eyes, the Cart CM next to him covering her eyes and us kissing! Wish I knew how to post photos on here as I would that one. Definitely a favourite.
Due to our photography session we were late for our ADR but they knew about it and said they would get us in when a table was free. We got in about 40 minutes after out time and were really hungry so decided to pay OOP for a soup starter. The restaurant itself is really big and airy inside with lots of various JC themed props and the servers all keep up the JC jokes and banter. It's a fun restaurant with really good food. Following the soup I opted for the Hardy Har Char Siu pork - v tasty and moreish - and DH had Dr Fall's Signature Steak which he said was cooked perfectly. Dessert for both was Kungaloosh! We heard how good it was and weren't disappointed, chocolate and bananas always good in my book.
After lunch we just made our FP for Splash Mountain, it seemed to us there was more effects than last time such as Brer Rabbit leaping over hills and "jumping" water. Splash done we were done so headed back to WL for an hour or so rest before changing into warmer clothes and getting the bus to Disney Springs. Glad we changed as got very cool once the sun had gone down and but we wanted to see the Christmas tree trail and do Stitch's Holiday Gift Hunt - both free and both fun. The trees are all well decorated to their theme but I especially like the Haunted Mansion one and it snowed! The gift hunt was really hard at times, we had to ask staff for clues in some shops, he's elusive! Hunt finished - and took a lot longer than we thought - booklet filled in we got our badge! Yay! a free Stitch souvenir!!
Back on the bus to WL for a quick hot chocolate at Roaring Fork to end the day. ( I know, I know we're not exactly party animals )
